Is It Nonetheless Dependable in 2024?

In 2023, we discovered Proton VPN to be a well-rounded VPN with its distinctive, Swiss-based privateness and beneficiant free tier. Primarily based in Switzerland, Proton complies with Switzerland’s sturdy privateness legal guidelines — a plus for companies and people involved about authorities knowledge requests.

A yr later, Proton VPN brings important updates that I really feel make top-of-the-line VPNs out there out there. Chief amongst these is a bigger server community, an up to date third-party audit, and extra inexpensive pricing.

On this evaluate, let’s have a look if Proton VPN is the suitable selection for you and your online business in 2024.

Proton VPN pricing

Relating to pricing, I discovered Proton VPN falls within the center amongst its competitors. At $4.99 per 30 days for its one-year Plus plan, it’s dearer than Non-public Web Entry’ equal one-year subscription at $3.33 per 30 days. Nevertheless, it’s additionally extra inexpensive than ExpressVPN’s one-year plan priced at $8.33 per 30 days.

In comparison with final yr, Proton VPN can be now extra inexpensive. In 2023, its one-year Proton VPN Plus subscription value $5.99 per 30 days. At present, it’s $4.99 per 30 days.

The 2-year plan can be cheaper, now at $4.49 per 30 days to 2023’s $4.99 per 30 days. On the other facet, its one-month subscription is barely dearer now at $9.99 per 30 days, in comparison with final yr’s $8.99 price ticket.

Whereas these aren’t large decreases in value, they’re appreciated contemplating how the enhancements carried out in Proton VPN in 2024 — one thing we’ll get into additional down this evaluate.

When you plan on connecting a number of gadgets or want the quickest connection, I like to recommend going for Proton VPN Plus. It permits customers to attach 10 gadgets concurrently, has Proton’s quickest speeds on the lowest attainable value, and consists of Proton’s full server suite. Those that additionally use VPNs for torrenting (P2P) and streaming ought to go for the VPN Plus plan, as this isn’t out there on Proton VPN’s free model.

Lastly, I like to recommend Proton Limitless just for customers who need Proton’s different encryption-based providers on prime of the options you get with VPN Plus.

Is Proton VPN truly free?

Sure, Proton VPN has a completely free model alongside its two paid plans. It presents free entry to servers from 5 nations, specifically america, Netherlands, Japan, Romania, and Poland.

With the free model, you get medium VPN pace, a kill swap, and limitless knowledge. Home windows and Android customers additionally get entry to Proton’s break up tunneling characteristic without cost. As a free VPN, I respect Proton providing limitless bandwidth, particularly since different free VPNs often impose a month-to-month or every day knowledge cap. I believe this implementation is healthier for those who want a cheap approach to merely change your IP tackle.

Nevertheless, there’s a limitation I need to point out: Proton VPN’s Free model doesn’t allow you to select which of the 5 free VPN areas you hook up with. This implies you will want to undergo a little bit of trial and error earlier than you get related to your required nation. As talked about, you additionally gained’t get entry to the total 112-country server fleet out there in its premium plan.

Whereas I discover this to be a good restriction, I can perceive customers which will need the management of having the ability to select which location to connect with. When you’re one in every of these individuals, I recommend trying into Speedify VPN. It’s a good service that has a free model VPN that enables guide nation choice. Take observe, nevertheless, that it imposes a 2-10 GB month-to-month knowledge cap.

SEE: Proton VPN Free vs Premium: Which Plan Is Greatest for You? (TechRepublic)

For my part, the free model is greatest for customers who’re uncertain about spending on a full VPN service or those that solely want one VPN connection and fundamental performance.

Is Proton VPN protected?

Sure, I contemplate Proton VPN to be a safe and protected VPN. It presents industry-standard protocols OpenVPN and IKEv2, in addition to the newer WireGuard and Stealth protocols throughout the Home windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS variations. This provides customers a mixture of extra established and well-tested safety protocols and more moderen choices with newer applied sciences.

Proton VPN additionally operates below a strict no-logs coverage, which implies they don’t log consumer exercise or metadata. This covers web sites visited, session lengths, IP addresses, or any knowledge that might be used to determine a consumer. It’s additionally an open supply VPN, which signifies that its code is publicly out there for evaluate. Personally, I do know privateness lovers and builders will respect this because it permits them to identify vulnerabilities in Proton VPN’s supply code themselves.

After I reviewed Proton VPN final yr, its latest impartial safety audit had been performed approach again in 2021. Whereas I laud VPN suppliers for having their providers audited, a key consideration could be how frequent these audits are completed to account for altering circumstances.

Now that it’s 2024, I’m very glad to report that it has a extra current exterior audit targeted on its no-logs coverage. The third-party audit, performed by Securitum, confirmed that Proton VPN didn’t, actually, retailer any consumer logs. That is essential given how straightforward it’s for software program suppliers to make safety claims — with out truly following by on guarantees.

One factor I failed to say final yr was Proton VPN’s spectacular encounter with the Swiss courtroom system in 2019. In that incident, a knowledge request from one other nation was despatched to Proton VPN and was accepted by the Swiss courtroom system. Nevertheless, as a result of Proton VPN didn’t have any buyer IP knowledge, it was not capable of present the knowledge requested.

To me, that is real-world proof that Proton VPN doesn’t log or secretly conceal any consumer knowledge for its personal profit.

SEE: 6 Greatest Nameless (No-Log) VPNs for 2024 (TechRepublic)

Key options of Proton VPN

Proton VPN presents quite a lot of options that shield and safe consumer knowledge. This consists of its protection below Swiss privateness legal guidelines, good pace and efficiency, and DNS leak safety.

Swiss-based privateness

Proton VPN is owned by an organization referred to as Proton AG, a expertise supplier primarily based in Switzerland. As Proton VPN relies in Switzerland, it complies with the nation’s sturdy privateness legal guidelines and political neutrality. All Proton customers will get pleasure from the identical authorized privateness protections that Swiss residents do.

This additionally signifies that any requests for Proton consumer knowledge can’t be granted with out a Swiss courtroom order. It is a key characteristic for customers or companies which might be involved about authorities intervention. Whereas no nation is proof against breaches, Proton’s compliance with Swiss legal guidelines will grant a layer of safety you gained’t discover with different VPNs.

DNS leak safety

Proton VPN additionally guarantees safety towards DNS leaks throughout dropped connections. To check this, I ran Proton VPN Free by a DNS leak take a look at instrument a number of occasions. All through testing, no leaks have been detected.

Proton additionally prompts DNS Safety out of the field. Provided that DNS leak safety is an important VPN characteristic, we commend Proton for setting it to “at all times on” upon setup.

Kill swap

Proton additionally comes with a kill swap that acts as a final line of protection throughout an outage or disruption. Within the occasion your VPN connection fails, the kill swap will routinely cease your machine from reconnecting to the web with out the VPN’s safety. This prevents any undesirable sharing of knowledge out of your pc to your web service supplier.

It goes additional as Proton permits customers to activate a “everlasting kill swap.” When activated, any connection not completed through a Proton VPN server is blocked or lower out.

In my testing, the everlasting kill swap labored as marketed — even with the primary app closed and working within the background. This set-it-and-forget-it characteristic can hold your knowledge personal throughout undesirable disruptions.

Velocity and efficiency: How briskly is Proton VPN?

Whereas it’s regular to have decrease add and obtain speeds with a VPN, Proton VPN nonetheless offered good and secure numbers throughout testing.

As an preliminary disclaimer, my 2024 testing of Proton VPN was absolutely with its free model. Which means my knowledge speeds have been capped, with Proton VPN’s quickest VPN speeds being reserved by one in every of its paid plans.

Nevertheless, I used to be pleasantly shocked with how properly Proton VPN’s free model fared. Similar to in 2023, Proton VPN gave me constantly quick speeds with no noticeable drops in efficiency.

This was true throughout my normal use of the service, which included shopping social media, accessing Google providers like Docs and Drive and watching YouTube movies. I additionally didn’t expertise any problem sustaining a secure connection whereas testing Proton. For pace and stability, Proton VPN carried out properly.

By way of pace take a look at outcomes, Proton VPN’s free model was surprisingly quick. Even with capped speeds, it solely decreased my obtain pace round 2.87% in comparison with my web service supplier. For add speeds, it was glorious, truly recording 76.4% sooner speeds than my ISP.

Once more, that is Proton VPN’s free tier, so I anticipate speeds to be much less constant than its premium variations.

Proton VPN servers and areas

As of October 2024, Proton VPN’s server community has round 8,500+ servers from 112 nations — giving it one of many bigger server suites within the area. It is a huge improve in comparison with final yr, whereby Proton’s server fleet comprised a good 3,024 servers in 69 nations.

Compared, NordVPN at present has 6,400 servers in 111 nations, whereas Surfshark VPN has 3,200+ servers in 100 nations. To me, that is maybe the most important enchancment Proton VPN had over the previous yr. Contemplating how one of many foremost makes use of of a VPN is to unblock geo-restricted content material, I respect the Proton VPN crew’s dedication in increasing its server community in such a brief period of time.

Proton VPN presents three totally different server varieties: Free, Plus, and Safe Core servers. Free servers, which include Proton’s free model, present fundamental safety with medium speeds. In the meantime, Plus servers enable streaming assist, advert blocking, torrenting and a sooner connection.

Lastly, Safe Core servers add to Plus servers’ performance by introducing stronger safety towards knowledge assaults. Safe Core routes your site visitors by a number of servers, making it tougher for dangerous actors to achieve your true IP tackle. These servers are wholly owned by Proton and are housed in privacy-friendly nations (like Switzerland or Iceland) for much more safety.

For my part, Safe Core is a novel promoting level of Proton VPN that many privacy-focused customers will discover priceless. That is very true for those who use servers situated in additional high-risk areas just like the U.S.

SEE: ProtonVPN vs AtlasVPN (2024): Which VPN Ought to You Use? (TechRepublic)

Proton VPN professionals

• Provides sturdy Switzerland-based privateness options.
• Implements a strict no-logs coverage.
• Supplies greater than 8,500 servers in 112 nations.
• Open supply and independently audited.
• Has a free model.
• Helps as much as 10 simultaneous connections.

Proton VPN cons

• Free model doesn’t allow you to select server location.
• Desktop interface might be overwhelming at first.
• Stay chat assist is barely out there for paid customers.

Who’s Proton VPN greatest for?

When you’re searching for a VPN that specializes towards authorities surveillance, Proton VPN is a superb answer. Its Swiss-backed privateness is a significant worth proposition, particularly relating to defending delicate enterprise or consumer knowledge. It additionally will get lots of the core options proper with its sturdy set of protocols, kill swap, and DNS leak safety, to call a couple of.

As of 2024, it additionally carries one of many largest server networks out there in VPNs as we speak at 8,500+ servers throughout 112 nations. Proton VPN is made for many who need an built-in ecosystem of encrypted and safe software program. Proton additionally presents the VPN bundled with its different encrypted providers by its Proton Limitless plan.

Whereas there are cheaper choices on the market, Proton’s total package deal and lack of evident drawbacks make it a good selection. Not sure consumers additionally take pleasure in having the ability to entry Proton VPN without cost.

SEE: Learn how to Create an Efficient Cybersecurity Consciousness Program (TechRepublic Premium)

Proton VPN alternate options

Whereas Proton VPN is a stable VPN possibility, not everybody will discover it match. We’ve listed comparable alternate options beneath that provide totally different options for every VPN consumer.

NordVPN

NordVPN is likely one of the most well-known VPNs out there as we speak. Nord is nice for safe file-sharing, as its Meshnet characteristic permits customers to switch and share information by their very own personal encrypted community. It has round 6,400+ servers in 111 nations and a risk safety characteristic that combats malware, adverts, and internet trackers.

To seek out out extra, try our full NordVPN evaluate.

Surfshark

One other distinguished VPN is Surfshark. This VPN is greatest for a number of gadgets, because it provides customers a vast variety of gadget connections to the service. It additionally has zero bandwidth limitations and presents a seven-day free trial to check it out.

To study extra, try our full Surfshark VPN evaluate.

CyberGhost VPN

CyberGhost VPN is one other nice VPN answer. It’s recognized for its in depth server community, providing servers in 100 nations and 126 areas. This permits customers to entry a broad number of geo-restricted content material whereas sustaining a secure connection.

To find extra, try our full CyberGhost VPN evaluate.

Overview methodology

My evaluate of Proton VPN concerned an in depth evaluation of its security measures, value, and real-world efficiency. I had hands-on time with ProtonVPN’s free model and supplemented my findings with consumer testimonials and respected opinions for each the free and paid tiers.

For pace and efficiency, I examined ProtonVPN Free utilizing a Home windows pc and ran it by Ookla’s Speedtest. As a disclaimer, VPN speeds will range relying on lots of components: your web service supplier, your gadget, your location, and the actual server you select. To check for DNS leaks, I ran Proton VPN Free a number of occasions by DNSleaktest.

Lastly, I scored Proton on every thing from its pricing to its protocols primarily based on an inside algorithm to get a ultimate ranking of 4.5 out of 5 stars. The scoring on the rubric was primarily based each on Proton VPN by itself and in relation to different VPN providers out there.